The Washington Post said in an editorial yesterday the right way to fight against Thaksin's authoritarianism was "to embrace the elections he has offered, along with his proposal to establish a commission to prepare constitutional reforms".

The Economist of London in its latest issue expressed a similar view.

Sources in the opposition said today's statement would point out the ongoing demonstrations were not organised by the opposition parties, but were the popular expression of a "coalition of the willing" of more than 100 civil society groups throughout the country.

In normal circumstances, sources said, any boycott of an election would be "undemocratic". However, in this election, the circumstances are quite different.

"Thaksin is completely corrupt, and the whole system has been bought by him," said one source. "The opposition has no choice but to boycott the election."

The election, if it proceeds, will force Thaksin to tackle political reform and constitutional amendments, which he has been trying to evade. These issues have been called for by the opposition parties for the past four years but the ruling party has refused to take them up.

------------------------------------------------

Grim diagnosis

The Medical Doctor Network of Chulalongkorn University yesterday joined in calls for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to step down.

In an open letter to Thaksin, the network obtained 435 signatories urging him to think of the national interest rather than his own when the country is divided into two camps - Thaksin supporters and Thaksin antagonists.

The premier's resignation would bring peace back to the country, it said. - The Nation